Saintseneca have announced their first album since 2018’s Pillar of Na. Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs is set for release on October 31 via Lame-O Records. Today’s announcement comes with the release of the seven-minute epic ‘Infinity Leaf Clover’, which is one to get lost in. Check it out below, along with the album cover (an original painting by bandleader Zac Little) and tracklist.
Technically spanning 21 tracks, the new album is billed as “a ten-song landscape orbited by two sonic ‘moons’, Viridian Moon (tracks 11-16) and Cinnamon Moon (tracks 17-21).” Zac Little explained, “I wanted this album to reflect that—some songs were found on the landscape, others were found on two moons, orbiting that landscape like satellites, disparate pieces pulling on each other, creating a world of song.”
Little worked on the LP with longtime collaborator Glenn Davis, with Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis handling the mixing. “I found that I circled back to the country music that I grew up listening to and always wanted to run from, but then I just wanted to hear it,” he added. “The voice of George Jones, raw and razor sharp with emotion, the alchemical perfection of Hank Williams’ songwriting, Dolly Parton’s crushing melodies. They seemed to effortlessly cut through the air, floating in the atmosphere like perfume even after the songs stopped.”
Commenting on the new song, Little said: “I was under a heavy cloud when I found the perfect 4 leaf clover. I’d searched my entire life, mulling over patches of grass. My efforts always fruitless. One dark afternoon, I looked down. At my feet, four bright green hearts intricately formed, kissing at the points in a clover – twin infinities. I felt it was a love poem placed there just for me. The language of plant matter twisted with a flourish. I felt better. I laid in my backyard and the shadow of a tree passed over a fence post. An improvised sundial. Looking down at my timepiece – 5 o’ clock. Hah, the 5 o’ clock shadow! And just as I noticed, the moment slipped away, the shadow passed – on to where moments go, I suppose. Now it’s 5 o’ clock somewhere else…”
Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs Cover Artwork:
Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs Tracklist:
Highwalllow:
1. High Walllow
2. You Have To Lose Your Hat Someday
3. Sweet Nothing
4. In A Way
5. Escape Artist
6. Non Prophet
7. Holy Hock
8. Hill Still Nameless
9. Infinity Leaf Clover
10. Hot Water Song Viridian Moon:
11. Burnt Hand Hymn
12. May Day
13. Battery Lifer
14. Green Ink Pen
15. Long Winter Cinnamon Moon:
16. Smoke Punching
17. I Don’t Know Why Double Birthday
18. Wild Violent
19. Mt S
20. Bitter Suite
21. Vanishing Point
While fulfilling her contractual obligations with RCA and Kemosabe Records, Kesha used her records as a playground for experimentation. 2017’s Rainbow, 2020’s High Road, and 2023’s Gag Order weren’t perfect, but they ambitiously swayed back and forth between new territory (country, gospel, hyperpop) and old (the party-pop she helped invent with Animal) while giving her permission to be both messy and vulnerable. There’s no doubt that Kesha sounds newly liberated and no less chaotic on her sixth album and first independent release, . (PERIOD), yet it also feels oddly hesitant to take a bolder, more decisive step forward, be it by blending those styles or matching its carefree attitude with more careful production. For every moment that’s deliriously catchy, there’s another that grates. “I really do split my life,” she told Vogue. “It’s like half pop star, half hippie in the woods trying to reach my highest potential and spiritual power.” Instead of giving each side equal weight, . (PERIOD) loses itself somewhere in the middle, feeling, ironically, elliptical.
1. FREEDOM.
A six-and-a-half minute opener drifting from heavenly ambient to sure-footed nu disco, ‘FREEDOM’ is as much a bridge between records as it is an indicator of . (PERIOD)’s gleefully uneven nature. Co-producers Jonathan Wilson and Drew Erickson, who helped Angel Olsen wade into a similarly wide-eyed sense of freedom on 2022’s Big Time, render it a seamless transition, which Kesha overrides with an ironically pitched-down voice: “Narcissism! It makes you happy!” Her distinctive proclamations get the party rolling: “I only drink when I’m happy and I’m drunk right now.” After commanding to be taken to the sex shop, a little distortion bleeds into her voice when she adds, “Bitch.” A song like this is a grand symbolic gesture, but it’s in those small twists and details that her personality comes through.
2. JOYRIDE.
Kesha revs her engine with a goofy accordion sample and a pretty infectious chorus, but a whole year after its release, it’s clear the album’s lead single doesn’t have that much staying power. With lines like “A label whore, but I’m bored of wearing clothes,” though, its absurdity is all the more refreshing. You bet that a few years down the line, when the engine’s even more rusted, it’s only going to sound better.
3. YIPPEE-KI-YAY.
With a steep turn towards country-pop, the kookiness starts to become grating, and the fault’s really in the production. Does every beat and syllable really need this much oomph? The bass that much of a kick, the vocals so many layers, every synth a firework? Trashiness can be delightful, but it should be able to speak for itself.
4. DELUSIONAL.
“Thanks for the heartbreak, it gets my bills paid/ You just keep chasin’ the sun,” Kesha sings on this middling power ballad, the subtext behind the metaphor being that the guy broke up with her when she didn’t take him to Taylor Swift’s party. You’d want to write a song about that, but it doesn’t have to be a song that sounds like it was written this quickly, only for the production to once again blow any real hint of emotion to bits. It’s those booming drums that might be doing most of the damage; hearing them gone at the very end of the song almost made me feel something.
5. RED FLAG.
This is more like it: ‘RED FLAG’ might be straight-down-the-middle club pop, the safest avenue for Kesha’s irreverent tendencies, but it works so well here. BRAT fatigue notwithstanding, it brings the energy back up. Or as Kesha puts it – referring, of course, to her taste in men: “Something so wrong does it so right every time.”
6. LOVE FOREVER.
A sleek bit of Random Access Memories-indebted disco whose cloying chorus makes eternal love sound the least desirable thing one could imagine. Kesha’s playful enunciation in the verses can’t do much to salvage the track, which is produced by Stuart Crichton, the same person who helmed her much-better Eagles of Death Metal collab ‘Let Em’ Talk’.
7. THE ONE.
It’s tempting to call this the worst song on the album, mostly because it sounds the least like Kesha, her voice swallowed up just as she declares that she’s the one. Zhone’s production is really hit and miss on . (PERIOD), but this is way off, sounding huge without much to back it up.
8. BOY CRAZY.
This is more of a hit, a hornily deranged slice of brat-pop that comes a little too late but lands better than ‘Spring Breakers featuring Kesha’ – even if it still makes more sense as an idea than it works in execution.
9. GLOW.
A post-breakup anthem on the other side of ‘DELUSIONAL.’, and what a difference the shift in production makes. Hudson Mohawke’s glitchy, minimal keys and slightly off-kilter beat leave space for Kesha’s sense of humour (“Taste all them boys like a charcuterie board”), punctuating it when necessary (“You on my TikTok, I’m the fucking OG”). Keeping things a little low-key only makes her sound more radiant – the difference between a period and an exclamation mark, if you will.
10. TOO HARD.
Essentially a sequel to ‘LOVE FOREVER.’, with a sense of disappointment creeping in: “No wonder all my love was not enough/ To heal the sadness you hide.” Yet the sentiment of the chorus remains oddly unchanged, reminding the heartbreaker that she will always love him. The song, though, shouldn’t be so easy to forget.
11. CATHEDRAL.
The song’s wispy piano and religious imagery brings the album full circle, but ‘CATHEDRAL.’ isn’t the powerhouse closer it could’ve been. Kesha’s voice has all the gravitas in the world as she finally lays out her journey to freedom, but it’s strangely muffled, as if mirroring her effort to “numb the pain.” You can hear her “gasping for breath,” but instead of opening up when the beat kicks in, it’s just overbearing. “Every second is a new beginning,” she declares, screaming her heart out. Hopefully the next one’s worth every second.
Frank Ocean’s “Blonde,” or “blond,” vinyl regularly sells for over $1,000 on secondary markets. That’s nearly 30 times its original $35 retail price. This price hike makes it one of the most expensive modern vinyl releases you can buy, and fans naturally wonder why exactly Blonde’s vinyl version is so expensive.
Frank Ocean, the R&B artist, released his second studio album “Blonde” in 2016 after a four-year hiatus, which also named his Apple Music show the Blonded Radio. During those years of silence, Ocean’s fanbase grew increasingly hungry for new material. This helped set the stage for a chaotic album release and a rare vinyl release.
Blonde is widely considered a modern classic, but it’s not the music that makes this vinyl so expensive; it’s how Ocean chose to release it.
Why is Blonde vinyl so rare and expensive?
Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” vinyl is rare and expensive because of scarcity and demand. The “Blonde” vinyl became expensive because it was deliberately limited and highly anticipated.
Here are the key factors that turned a $35 record into a four-figure collector’s item:
24-hour exclusive sale window: The vinyl was only available for purchase during a single day on Black Friday 2016.
Limited production: Industry estimates suggest only around 1,000 copies were ever produced, but exact numbers aren’t confirmed.
Reseller market explosion: Early buyers realized they owned something valuable and drove up the secondary market prices.
During the peak levels of hype, finding an affordable “Blonde” vinyl would have worse odds than backing the biggest underdog on betting apps. Music fans can also be quite devoted, like sports enthusiasts. While some can turn this devotion into motivation to bet on competitions like Eurovision, others may focus on collecting rare pieces of music.
Is Blonde on vinyl worth it?
Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” is worth it on vinyl if you’re a collector or a devoted fan of the artist. However, you can skip the vinyl and stream the album online in high quality for a fraction of the cost if you’re a casual listener.
Overall, it’s worth it if you’re:
A devoted Frank Ocean superfan
A serious vinyl collector
A completist who needs to own physical copies of their favorite albums
It’s probably not worth it if you’re:
Working with a limited budget for music purchases
Fine with just streaming music online
However, things have gotten noticeably better in recent years. Finding an authentic Blonde vinyl is easier now. Frank Ocean occasionally restocks the vinyl on his official website, Blonded.co, for around $65. These drops are still rare, and they sell out within minutes, so if you manage to secure a copy, protect it with archival vinyl record supplies to preserve its value and condition.
On secondary markets, like eBay, you’ll find copies ranging from $100 to $200. Some of these can be unofficial bootleg versions, so you’ll need to do your due diligence as a buyer.
When you’re answering emails, attending meetings, and hustling nonstop, it might feel like creativity gets pushed to the sidelines of your life. However, there’s always room for creative hobbies, even if you have the busiest schedule. You just need to find the creative outlets that make sense with the hustle and bustle of your life. If you want to make space to be creative again, even with a full work calendar, here are five creative hobbies that will fit right into your schedule.
Learning to Play an Instrument
Learning how to play an instrument, whether it’s the piano or a ukulele, lets you express your creativity by finding your rhythm (literally!). It’s a classic way to flex those creative muscles in between meetings and work events.
Don’t know where to start when your schedule is so packed? Look for ways to learn how to play the instrument of your choice online, like with South Shore Piano School lessons. Since it’s all online, it’s perfect for squeezing into evenings or weekends when you want to reclaim your life from the office and play a little music!
Watercoloring
Watercolor is one of the best artistic mediums you can play around with. It’s a soft, forgiving medium that lets you have fun blending colors without a lot of pressure. At the office, keep a small watercolor kit with you that has a brush, paint palette, and paper. During breaks or in between meetings, try painting whatever is in front of you, or even just some pretty gradients to calm you down and get those artistic juices flowing.
Bullet Journaling
A bullet journal is a mix between a diary, planner, and creative sketchbook. You can use it to get organized with to-do lists or accounts of your day, or get creative with doodles and drawings. Others use it as a mindfulness tool, so you can tie it in with your daily meditation routine as well. It’s a terrific way to get creative while keeping your busy life in check in a practical way.
Beginner Photography
If you want to get into photography but don’t have the time or resources, you can always practice your skills in between the busiest parts of your day with a phone camera. Pick a weekly photography theme to practice, from movements to textures to colors, then take a few snaps a day. Over time, you’ll start to see the world through a more creative lens, even at your busiest.
Knitting or Crocheting
Repetitive handwork isn’t relaxing. It’s also creative because you get to make something with your bare hands, whether it’s scarves, bags, or even clothes. Keep a small knitting or crocheting project in your bag so that you can whip it out and work on some stitches, even for five to 10 minutes at a time. It’s a fantastic way to recharge in between meetings and deliverables at work or wind down in bed after an exhausting day.
Endnote
You don’t need a full weekend to let those creative juices flow with a new hobby. With just a few minutes of intention every day, you can play a few chords, color a new page, or crochet something small, even if you’re super busy. In between the hectic moments, recharge with these creative hobbies. Your schedule may be packed, but there’s always a way to get creative.
Look, if you’re travelling light, you need to travel right.
Whether it’s a three-day city break or two weeks on the coast, what you pack is essential. The well-dressed man doesn’t need twenty shirts and a suitcase full of fresh trainers. Overpacking is just not the vibe.
So start here if you’re building a wardrobe that works from plane to rooftop bar to coastal drive.
Knowing Your Layers
Good travel style isn’t about reinventing the wheel of fashion. It’s about layering your choices with thought behind them, planning for changing weather and settings, while anticipating the inevitable detour.
A versatile overshirt can take you from beach day to dinner reservation. A loose, long-sleeve linen shirt handles heat without looking overly casual. And if you’re somewhere with altitude, a quality lightweight jacket will carry you through more than just the cold.
Footwear With Sole
You only need two pairs — three if you’re pushing it. I know this sounds crazy, but hear me out.
Shoes take up space, so choose the ones that fit your destination. A clean white trainer works for walking cities and slipping into beach clubs. Slides or sandals? Only if you’re beach-bound and have thought about the rest of the look.
Neutrals Never Die
It’s tempting to throw in colour when you’re off the clock. But loud doesn’t always land.
The well-travelled man knows his neutrals: charcoal, off-white, olive, sand, camel — the list goes on. These are the shades that layer, match, and rewear without looking like repeats. One pair of black or tan trousers will do more for you than four patterned ones ever will.
The Non-Negotiables
Everyone’s got their rituals. But things unravel fast if you’re flying out with no plan. A few constants go a long way, like a classic men’s gold bracelet and some sunglasses that fit your face shape. A refined pair of men’s sunglasses can elevate every look on the go – whether you’re transitioning from sunlit city streets to a sunset terrace, or stepping off a flight into bright afternoon light. A bag that doesn’t sag. A tasteful watch that elevates for the evening. Or even that one thing you can throw on when everything else feels off-ish.
These are the things that don’t take up room in your suitcase but shape how you appears you travel through the world.
Jet Lag? But Never Lagging
Long-haul flights, layovers, red-eyes? Sorry, but time zones are out of your control. However, how you arrive isn’t. Keep one outfit ready for arrival. Nothing fancy or OTT, just enough to go straight from passport control to dinner if necessary.
Texture Over Trend
The well-dressed man doesn’t need logos to tell his story.
A linen shirt that drapes instead of clings, a knitted polo instead of a plain one, and a woven belt with enough wear to feel like a vintage piece. True style lives in the fabric, not the gourdiness, especially when living out of a carry-on.
Your Fit Is Your Passport
Every city has its rhythm. What works in Paris might look ridiculous in Crete. You don’t need to copy the locals, but you should know how to tune in. In Europe, tailoring still matters. Even your casual pieces should show some shape. In coastal spots, you’ll need flow and breathability. Wear looser silhouettes, open buttons, and natural fibres. Don’t fight the climate. Adapt to it.
Own Your Routine, Wherever You Land
Style doesn’t stop at clothing. The way you carry yourself, the way you prep, even the way you unpack — it all adds up.
Bring your rituals with you: a skincare routine that isn’t three stolen hotel bottles, a fragrance that fits the mood, and a grooming kit that keeps you on point.
Final Word? Move With Purpose
The well-dressed and well-travelled man isn’t trying to impress anyone. There’s no time for shenanigans. He’s tuned in to his surroundings, selective with his time, precise with what he carries and confident no matter where he is. It’s not about having the best or most expensive wardrobe. It’s about knowing which parts matter and letting go of everything that doesn’t.
Wherever you’re headed, your style should travel with you and take the shape of your destination. And it doesn’t need to be overtly bold or unnecessarily masculine, just as long as it knows precisely what it’s doing.
There are several streaming platforms available today — both free and subscription-based. But let’s face it. Not every place has Wi-Fi, an internet connection, or even a decent signal. Sometimes, even 5G ghosts you. In short, streaming is convenient but not always practical. That’s where offline viewing or downloading becomes your best friend. And while most streaming platforms have default options for that, HBO Max users on Macs and Windows don’t have it so easy.
The good news? Some ways and tools make this entirely possible — and we’ll guide you!
Watch Offline Through the HBO Max Mobile App
According to the Max Help Center, users can download shows and movies on the platform’s official mobile app. Similarly, the app supports offline viewing for devices such as Android phones, Android tablets, Apple iPhones, Apple iPod Touch, Apple iPad, and Amazon Fire tablets. Likewise, it’s the simplest and safest way to download content for later watching.
Also, each type of subscription plan determines the number of downloads a user can have across all mobile devices. Specifically, standard accounts can have 30 downloads, and premium plans can have up to 100.
Here’s how to download movies and shows on the HBO Max mobile app:
Grab your device and sign in to the app.
Search for the title you want to download and see if it’s available for downloading.
Choose your preferred audio and subtitle language.
Click the download icon beside the description.
Look for your saved media in the downloads section.
Watch Offline Using Third-Party Downloader Options for HBO Max
Tunes Bank
TunesBank HBO Max Video Downloader can batch download HBO Max movies and TV to your computer at 50X fast speed, and saves HBO Max videos to regular MP4 or MKV formats. Only few clicking, you to quickly download your favorite Max(HBO) videos to watch offline. After downloading Max videos to MP4/MKV, you can keep your Max(HBO) video downloads forever, and even transferring the downloaded HBO Max videos to other devices for offline playback. Better still, all HBO Max downloads saved in FHD 1080p with selectable multilingual audio tracks and multilingual subtitles, offers for you the best offline viewing experience.
StreamFab Max Downloader
StreamFab is a tool that offers a powerful solution for Mac and Windows. Likewise, it supports full HD downloads with multiple audio tracks for offline viewing.
Kigo Max Video Downloader
Kigo helps users download various HBO Max movies and TV series in MP4 and MKV formats. Also, it’s a quick and easy alternative.
PlayOn Cloud
PlayOn Cloud enables the recording of HBO Max streams. Similarly, it converts them into MP4 files for better convenience.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Always remember that downloading content through unofficial tools may violate the terms and conditions of HBO Max. Even if you’re a paid subscriber, ripping their content can lead to penalties and account suspension. For your peace of mind, stick to the official offline viewing feature of the platform.
Final Thoughts
With modern tools and advanced features, watching HBO Max offline is totally doable. At the same time, Mac and Windows users can enjoy their favorite shows anytime and anywhere. Choose wisely and download responsibly.
If you are fond of brain exercises, then you are probably a fan of puzzle games. These types of games really have a special charm. They don’t simply challenge the mind. They also offer creative storytelling and mind-blowing visuals. Most of these games are available on PC, mobile, and even Mac devices. For Mac users, the options might seem limited at first. But dig a little deeper, and there’s a goldmine of puzzle games for Mac.
This article shows a list of the best puzzle titles for players to try.
Five Best Puzzle Games for Mac
Lumino City
Lumino City is not only a great puzzle game. It’s a BAFTA award-winning handmade puzzle adventure game. In short, this one is not your ordinary puzzle title. Specifically, players get to explore a city as Lumi. In trying to find the grandfather, users will explore whimsical contraptions and solve mechanical puzzles.
The Witness
The Witness features first-person puzzle gameplay. Additionally, the game is set on a mysterious island. The premise of the game is that players will take on the role of a person who wakes up alone on the island. However, the person has no idea left about anything. Now, the goal is to explore the place and solve puzzles to try to recover memories.
OneShot
OneShot isn’t your typical puzzle game. The game boasts a narrative-driven experience. Particularly, gamers will have to guide a child named Niko. Likewise, they have a goal of restoring the mysterious world’s long-dead sun. The game has an emotional story. It’s ideal for those who enjoy puzzles with heart.
Homescapes
Homescapes follows the adventure of Austin, the butler. Similarly, players need to help Austin restore his childhood mansion. Specifically, users will solve match-3 puzzles. Each puzzle that’s completed will result in additional resources needed to fix parts of the house. Also, Homescapes has a more relaxed and casual gameplay compared to other titles on this list of puzzle games for Mac.
Return of the Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinn is a puzzle game that is based on exploration and logical deduction. Users will control the character of an insurance investigator. After the Obra Dinn merchant ship gets lost at sea, gamers will need to dispatch and board the ship immediately.
The Wrap-Up
With this list of the best puzzle games for Mac, Apple users don’t have to look elsewhere to experience excellent gaming. So, waste no time and pick your game already. Follow the clues and enjoy the brain workout.
Oasis managed to get through their first show in 16 years on Friday at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, the first date of their highly anticipated reunion tour. Kicking off with (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?’s ‘Hello’, Liam and Noel Gallagher ran through a string of hits and deep cuts from across their discography before closing their four-song encore with ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Champagne Supernova’. Check out the full setlist and clips from the show below.
Joining the brothers onstage were Andy Bell on bass, Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs and Gem Archer on guitar, and Joey Waronker on drums, plus Joe Auckland on trumpet, Steve Hamilton on saxophone, Christian Madden on keyboards, and Alastair White on trombone. Opening the show were Cast and Richard Ashcroft, who dedicated ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ to Liam and Noel.
After playing the Principality Stadium again on Saturday, Oasis are scheduled to play shows in Manchester, London, Edinburgh, and Dublin before heading out to North America, Asia, Australia, and South America.
Setlist:
Hello
Acquiesce
Morning Glory
Some Might Say
Bring It on Down
Cigarettes & Alcohol
Fade Away
Supersonic
Roll With It
Talk Tonight
Half the World Away
Little by Little
D’You Know What I Mean?
Stand by Me
Cast No Shadow
Slide Away
Whatever
Live Forever
Rock ‘n’ Roll Star
The Masterplan
Don’t Look Back in Anger
Wonderwall
Champagne Supernova
A$AP Rocky is back with a new single, ‘pray4dagang’, which features Kenyan-American rapper KayCyy. Premiered at his brand AWGE’s Paris Fashion Week show last week, the cinematic, downcast track is available exclusively on Apple Music for 24 hours beginning July 4 before going up on all streaming services.
A$AP Rocky is starring in Spike Lee’s upcoming movie Highest 2 Lowest, which arrives in theaters August 22 and on Apple TV+ September 5. Earlier this year, the rapper was found not guilty of felony assault charges.
If you have to guess what Greet Death‘s songs are about, their name is not exactly a misnomer. But the saying goes “greet death as an old friend,” and that kind of friendship has always been as foundational to the band as any looming sense of darkness or finality. Co-vocalists Logan Gaval and Harper Boyhtari have been friends since elementary school, spending much of their preteen and adolescent years in the same basement in Davisburg, Michigan where they recorded their first album in six years, Die in Love. But while the record was written during a period of profound change and loss, and starts riotously with the title track, much of it sounds relaxed in its melancholy, not quite resigned but strangely comforted by the inevitable embrace – the idea that, “At the end of the day, we’re lucky to lose people we care about,” as Boyhtari said in press materials, a sentiment echoed in Boyhtari’s chorus of, “Emptiness is everywhere, so hold each other close.” Death is everywhere, too, Die in Love suggests – in VHS tapes and small-town cemeteries, silent screams and bullshit Eagles songs, mind-numbing shoegaze and soaring indie rock. It’s not absent even from the record’s most strikingly uplifting moments, which feel, more than anything Greet Death have made in the past, pretty beyond despair.
We caught up with Greet Death’s Harper Boyhtari to talk about cult horror movies, adolescent friendship, the Sundays, and other inspirations behind Die in Love.
Cult horror movies
You list off several of them on ‘Country Girl’. Where did that stream-of-consciousness flow come from?
That verse is about going to a theater in Chicago called the Logan Theater. I was watching a screening of The Thing. It was the first time I saw The Thing, so it’s one of those iconic memories from that point on. I was on a weird one-off date kind of thing, and it just stood out to me. I’m a big horror person, and so is Logan. There are other songs like ‘Red Rocket’, tying romance into this demonic possession type thing, and then ‘August Underground’ itself is a reference to a found footage horror movie. We did a couple music videos on the last album cycle that were horror movies. I just always think it’s fun to take subjects, like a love song or something romantic that you might consider cute or nice and pair it with something disturbing. I thought it was fun to bring all these characters and people in this fever dream.
There are a couple of albums brought up there, Crooked Rain and Push the Sky Away.
I thought it was fun that those phrases, while they are albums, can stand on their own as just ambiguous phrases that sound nice in the song.
Part of what that song reminded me of was the feeling of getting lost in something like old horror movies in a way that speaks to a sense of despondency, of removing yourself or struggling to connect with the world. I was wondering if that’s something you were conscious of as you were writing it.
I’ve definitely gone through periods where I’ve done the same thing, especially around the time I was writing that song. I probably hadn’t put that together, to be honest with you, but there was a solid year where the person I was dating would go to bed, and I would stay up and I would watch two horror movies back to back. I would literally just sit at my computer and watch like a crazy person and just stare at my screen – I would always try to find weird ones that I’d never heard of that could have been terrible, but they could have been sick, right? There was even a time where I would go to bed, and I would lay in bed,put a horror movie on the TV, and listen to music in headphones and have this dual stimuli thing going. So it’s really no surprise that that manifested in the music.
The Sundays
I wondered if they were an inspiration for ‘Emptiness Everywhere’ specifically.
That’s exactly why I included that. The Sundays came up because we were listening to one of their records a lot on a tour several years ago. Specifically ‘Here’s Where the Story Ends’, the melodies in that, we kept listening to that song. That was our tour song. We listened to it a lot because it soars – it’s very sunny, it’s very melancholy. It’s a romantic song. It’s a sad song. I think both Logan and I drew from that, especially me, though. It’s not by any sense of the word a shoegaze song, but it has those dripping, gooey melodies, it’s got a fuzz to it. When I was writing ‘Emptiness Is Everywhere’, I really wanted to do a chorus that soars like that, and to try to do something with my voice that jumps up like that and gets really anthemic and dreamy. I like that song as a reference point for the whole record because it encompasses a lot of what we wanted to do with the record, which was to make it soar a little more and have a little bit more brightness, whether it’s tonally or literal sonics. But to still be very melancholy and bogged down with anxieties.
In the bio, Logan mentioned he’d been listening to Paul McCartney and Beatles in an effort to try and write from a more optimistic place. I was curious if there are other artists that inspired you to write more in the direction of hope.
That’s a good question. I like that Logan mentioned Paul McCartney because specifically, I think of a song like ‘Silly Love Songs’ – I mean, Paul just loved to do the goofy, big band, kitschy, hokey sound. And I think it’s funny to think about that having an influence on what we’re doing, but when you think of an album like Ram, there’s a lot of melancholy on that Paul McCartney record. ‘Backseat of My Car’, the closer on that record, that I listen to that song a lot. Specifically with trying to write more optimistically, I don’t think so, but I know that when we recorded ‘Love Me When You Leave’, we were kind of thinking about it in a Big Thief-y way, where we wanted it to sound really live. I’m not going to say I was thinking about that band when I wrote it, but the performance, I think we were trying to channel some Big Thief energy, some Adrianne Lenker energy. Other musical influences were more about sonics for me.
Family
Part of ‘Emptiness Is Everywhere’ is about my dad losing his best friend, and that struck me. Logan lost his grandma. The loss that Logan endured was very foundational for this record and for him as a person. It maybe framed some of the writing about being with someone until death; what’s gonna happen when the one you love dies? The last song is kind of hoping they will haunt you after, and asking, “If you’re the one that goes before me, will you try to leave me a sign that you’re still around, or you’re okay – just give me something so I’m okay.” ‘Small Town Cemetery’, similar vibe.
Do you find that you and Logan have different perspectives when it comes to dealing with heavier themes?
We’ve talked about it in interviews recently, but Logan was talking about some of the songs from the New Hell era feeling emotionally heavy to sing. I don’t really feel like that because when I get a feeling out and it’s in a song, for me, it’s like, I have a place for this feeling now. It lives there forever, and so singing it for me is almost like a relief. Logan’s got some pretty heavy stuff that he sings about, so I think that can wear on him sometimes, just getting back into that headspace. I think I’m a little better at compartmentalizing it and removing myself.
Kingdom Hearts
Video games are a very foundational part of our friendship, and that game is one that Logan got when it came out. I went over there, and I watched him play that whole game, because that’s what would happen: I would go over to his house when we were kids, and I would watch him play games. I still play that game every other year. It’s a foundational game for a lot of people because that game is such a warm, fuzzy place to spend time, and it’s so wacky with the Disney and Final Fantasy characters. It’s crazy that that game was ever made. But it’s a game about friendship, and it’s the foundation of Logan and my friendship. Die in Love, while it’s a record of love songs, some of those songs are about friendship. ‘Same But Different Now’ talks about falling out with a friend. On ‘Country Girl’, there’s some lines about some childhood friends of mine and Logan’s toward the end. There’s moments where Logan and I are on tour and we’ll joke that we’re in the gummi ship, you know, we’re just flying to the next show. There was a while where we had that Goofy and Donald and Sora as our profile picture on Instagram, which was funny. We are very much a band of friends, and it feels like the record is more about that than ever before.
Adolescent friendship
Logan and I have been friends for a while and we’ve had other friends in our lives that maybe we’re not so close to now, that we’ve had specific fallings out with. And Same But Different Now’ was written six years ago at this point, so things are also different now with some of the people that these songs are about – that wasn’t supposed to be a pun, that was stupid. [laughs] In that song, it’s mourning a loss and expressing some anger and resentment about a changing friendship, a changing situation. Having longtime friends is a weird thing because people change and grow in their own ways. There’s also that line in the last song, “Friends change, problems stay the same” – just still struggling with the same concepts, maybe having trouble growing as a person, or struggling to explain why things change.
There’s actually a song we didn’t use that I don’t think is ever gonna come out, but it was called ‘I Hate My Friends, I Hate Myself’. I’s about early memories of Logan and I’s first show, and another instance of growing apart from a friend, questioning whether or not it’s worth it to have resentment towards people, but also not being able to help it. That’s the ‘Same But Different Now’ vibe. But ‘Country Girl’ has more vignette moments of actually positive memories, with the end of the song being about going to Commerce, Michigan with my sister and hanging out on the lake. We had a couple friends out there we used to spend some time with in high school, and that’s more of a nice memory contrasted with the weirdness and self-loathing of the rest of that song.
Was there a sense of nostalgia or any other way that recording the album in your parents’ basement affected you?
I think we were very comfortable when we recorded because it was in the most familiar place to Logan and I, a place where we had hung out our entire lives. I don’t think we thought about it like that. For us, it was just like, “This will work, and we won’t have to pay money for a studio. And it has a good room where drums are gonna sound okay.” I mean, I think it is fitting. I don’t think we did it because of that, but it was very cozy. And I think in a lot of ways, it is a very cozy record, a cozy-sounding record. When you’re in a new place, especially like a studio – sometimes a studio feels like a doctor’s office. It feels sterile and scary. I just think we were totally relaxed and just gathered in a circle playing songs, and I think that does show.
Given that music very quickly became a thing that your friendship revolved around, I’m curious if there are ways in which to try to prize or focus on your friendship in ways that have little to do with Greet Death.
I think I would like to find more time to do that. It’s hard because Logan and I live in different states now, and we’re very much engrossed in our own things. So a lot of the time, the only time we do come together is to do music. It’s been a weird time the past six years because there was COVID, just a lot of touring and a lot of isolation. I think hopefully, with the writing of the next record – Logan and I have talked about taking writing trips and doing stuff like that. But there has been a lot of living our own separate lives recently. I think maybe one day we’ll find more time to just hang out and go on a trip or something.
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
I’ve come back to that book a few times in my life. It’s one of the earlier ghost stories, but it’s really confusing and hard to parse through. It’s also one of those stories that may be about ghosts, but also the ghosts might not actually exist in that story, because there are themes of neglect and abandonment. The discourse around that book that I understand is it is about a haunting, but it’s unclear whether or not there are any ghosts. And I like the ambiguity of that. I like how confusing that is. Especially in a song like ‘Country Girl’, where I’m just trying to make sense of what is going on and looking for reasons as to why I feel so alienated. For some reason, the second verse, about “the shadow of the boy with wings,” that was a line I just wrote, and then the line “turning the screw, I waited on the stairs” – obviously, that’s the reference. And then I riffed on that story a little bit and the idea of seeing something that may or may not be there. That verse also means more to me now than it did at the time because retroactively, I know that there are reasons why I may or may not have been feeling so alienated related to my gender and my identity. But I just thought that was a fun idea to play on, just wandering around this gothic mansion and looking for answers and seeing weird shit, like flora and blood on the walls. It gets a little out there, but at the end of the day, it’s a pretty direct metaphor.
I think it also reframes that final acoustic song, because in a lot of horror movies, that plea – “Give me something to hold onto” – manifests as a kind of haunting. It’s a very common way to explore grief.
I guess in that last song, the spooky, haunting theme actually becomes this very romantic peaceful send-off. That was not intentional, but it is nice that it worked out that way because what I did want that last song to convey was peace, this idea that grief is terrible and it’s awful and there’s so much dread about the end coming – but if the message of the record is something that we’re sticking to, which is the idea that dying in love with someone is the ultimate goal, if that is something to aspire to, then this moment where you have to accept that one of you is going to die: try to find some peace in it and reckon with it.
Was that the last song you wrote for the album?
No. I do this thing where I write closers pretty early on. I feel like I do it really well. I could listen to a record and feel meh about itt, but if the closer is good, I’m going to completely reinterpret the record and be like, “Wait a second.” So, I think I wrote that somewhere in the middle because I couldn’t see the picture of the record yet. And then once I wrote the closer, I was like, “I get it now.”
In the context of what you talked about before, do you believe there’s a peaceful kind of haunting?
I think it’s something to aspire to, and I think, ideally, that’s what we turn our grief into. Ideally, that’s how you come to settle on something. But that’s if you’re fortunate to have closure on things, especially if it’s a faded friendship, maybe things are not resolved. So maybe the last song is also too idyllic. Maybe it’s like, “We strive for this, but is this attainable?” I don’t know. I think it’s a question for different people to consider.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
